YouTube as your personal gym

It’s cold, you’ve had a long day, and the idea of going for a run in the frigid dark or hauling yourself to the gym is about as appealing as eating cardboard for dinner. The thing is, though, that little voice in the back of your head reminds you about how much better you feel when you get a bit of exercise, about how powerful those workout endorphins are for combatting the winter blues and giving you a burst of energy.

Worry not — you can stay warm inside and get yourself moving, thanks to the bounty of workouts available online. No matter what sort of exercise you enjoy or how much time you’ve got to spend, the trusty Internet has something for everyone. The only thing it doesn’t offer? Excuses (OK, it probably has those too if you Google hard enough).

The first stop is YouTube. Seriously — you can learn just about anything on YouTube … including how to make an instructional video. When it comes to workouts, though, it can be tricky to figure out which one to try thanks to the multitudes that exist. Type in “yoga,” for instance, and nearly 8 million options crop up.

It’s important, then, to decide what kind of workout you’re interested in. Are you hoping to power out some cardio? Strengthen your core? Build those glutes to the max? Or maybe what you really need is a bit of gentle yet intensive stretching. Check in with your body and your brain to see what sort of boost you need, and then get thee to a computer (or smartphone or tablet).

YouTube offers two filters to help you find the right video: view count and rating. The view count filter lets you see the absolute most popular videos in the category you’ve searched, and the rating filter shows you the videos that have been given the highest percentage of favorable ratings first.

Each filter has limitations, though. Knowing a video has been watched the most doesn’t factor in whether other people found the workout satisfying, and since the rating filter is based on percentage of favorable reviews, it’s possible for videos to rise to the top that haven’t actually been vetted by many people. Both filters, though, can help you find videos to try. The rest, as they say, is up to you.

YouTube isn’t the end of the online workout road, though. We turned to our Facebook community to see what sites you — our readers — recommend and, while YouTube was definitely in the mix, an interesting trend emerged: yoga. Every single comment was about yoga.

Reader Claire Duffet says her go-to spot on the Web for yoga instruction is YogaGlo.com, a subscription-based site offering HD instructional videos led by certified yoga instructors. Duffet prefers this site because, “You can customize your search for videos based on style or issues (back pain, etc.) or difficulty level. The courses are excellent and the videos high quality.” Duffet turns to YouTube from time to time because it’s free and has a greater variety, but notes that YogaGlo is generally higher quality.

If you’re strapped for cash, daunted by the seemingly unending options on YouTube, but interested in accessing a high-quality online yoga instruction, DoYogaWithMe.com is another popular site. Just like YogaGlo, you can search for classes by various criteria — difficulty, length, style, and teacher — but this site is fiercely committed to remaining free to all people. Ninety-six videos are available, which is far fewer than YogaGlo’s over 2,000, but that’s still plenty to maintain variety in your home practice. If you want a yoga instructor suggestion, Fiji McAlpine is a HealthyLife favorite. She offers instruction on par with the best in-person classes, although as Duffet points out, one of the downsides to online workouts is the absence of “adjustments from trained instructors,” which are so “important to improving your practice.”

If yoga isn’t your thing, Fitnessblender.com offers tons of high-intensity cardio options, ranging from 8-minute abdominal workouts to kickboxing quickies that take around 20 minutes to an hour-long workout that promises to burn 1,000 calories. The site also offers warm-up and cool-down videos, which are key to taking care of your body when endeavoring high-impact workouts, no matter the length.

Maybe you’d like a bit of nutritional guidance to go along with your workout. The subscription-based site DailyBurn.com might be a good fit then. Featuring workouts that span three difficulty levels and range from 15 minutes to an hour, DailyBurn offers nutritional guidance in addition to workouts —everything from dance to tabata to pilates — all led by trained professionals.

While chockful of traditional workout videos, the Internet also has some wacky ones. Here are just a few of our favorites.

We talked to Alan Boetticher, head trainer at Revolution Fitness in Albany, about how to work out safely at home. He offers the following tips:

Get clearance from your doctor if you’ve had any illnesses or injuries.

Prevent injury by familiarizing yourself with how to properly perform exercises. There are great online instructional videos for this purpose, but seek professional guidance if you’re not sure you’re doing something properly.

Listen to your body, and if something feels funny or hurts, stop immediately.

It typically takes 24 to 48 hours for the body to feel the effects of a good workout. If you have any pain or achiness immediately after a workout, you may have suffered a pulled muscle or strain.

Variety is important to a good exercise regimen because it keeps your muscles guessing so they don’t “get used to” any particular exercise. This helps optimize the workout experience.

For people just starting a workout routine (though this is a good reminder for experienced exercisers too), it’s important to get in the habit of stretching daily, ideally twice a day, in addition to drinking plenty of water. Hydration is important to the most basic bodily functions, and will only help to maximize your workouts and recovery time. Proper nutrition is also vital. Too often people expect great results from workouts alone, when the reality is it’s more about how you fuel your body. Get in the habit of planning out your meals: proper portions, proper pre- and post-workout meals, proper ratios of protein/carbohydrates/healthy fats.

The only thing that matters in any workout regimen, home or in a facility, is commitment. Start because you are ready and you want to; then make a plan, allowing for rest days and cheat meals. Don’t beat yourself up if you fall off track, but don’t let yourself get swallowed up in the I-screwed-up-so-I-might-as-well-quit trap either.

Be dedicated to all aspects of exercise: the routine itself, warm up and cool down, stretching, hydration, proper nutrition, and plenty of decent sleep. If you are, then you’ll see the results you’re seeking.

If you are ever unsure about how to work out safely or whether you’ve injured yourself, seek professional input.